Footwear Having An Adjustable Heel Mechanism

ABSTRACT

An article of footwear having an adjustable heel mechanism is provided. The article of footwear can be capable of allowing a wearer to selectively alter the position of a portion of the heel portion of the article of footwear. In some embodiments, the article of footwear can have a sole, an upper attached to the sole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer, and a heel adjustment mechanism. In some embodiments, the heel adjustment mechanism may include a heel adjustment housing capable of moving with respect to the sole to modify the volume of the void created for the foot of a wearer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/308,449, filed 15 Mar. 2016,entitled “FOOTWEAR HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE HEEL MECHANISM,” the entirecontents and substance of which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety as if fully set forth below.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to articles of footwear havingan adjustable heel mechanism, and more particularly to articles offootwear capable of allowing a wearer to selectively alter the positionof a portion of the heel portion of the article.

2. Background of Related Art

The fit of articles of footwear, such as athletic shoes, is oftencritical to the wearer's performance or comfort. Most footwear is soldin a discrete number of sizes, with each size having a characteristiclength and width. Such a system typically provides enough variety formost people to find a size that fits well enough to wear withoutsignificant discomfort. However, because the lengths and widths areinextricably linked by the discrete sizes, some people find theirclosest fit size is either slightly too long or too short for one orboth of a person's feet.

Particularly in the case of children and adolescents, rapidly (and/orunevenly) growing feet may cause a shoe or pair of shoes to be too smallin a short period of time. The potential cost of buying sizes that aretoo large for children and adolescents to “grow into” may be thatinjuries occur or performance and/or comfort are limited. Relatedly,many people of all ages have left and right feet that are slightlydifferent, potentially making an identically sized matched pair lessthan ideal. Compromising on the fit of one shoe for the benefit of theother is a common occurrence, and one that can potentially be an issuefor people with a larger than usual size discrepancy or those thatdesire a closer, consistent fit on both of their feet.

Further, a number of factors may cause a wearer to desire a longer orshorter fit at different times. For example, a person's foot is known tochange size in response to a number of factors such as the time of day,the temperature, or a medical condition. Even aside from actual changesin a person's foot size, other factors may influence the desired fitsuch as the type of sock worn, braces or wraps on the foot or ankle,and/or personal preference for different fits in different situations.

For instance, winter runs may call for thicker socks than summer runs,and this sock difference may slightly change the size of the shoe neededto accommodate the wearer's foot. In the event of a minor injury orduring recovery from an injury, one shoe may need to be larger than theother to accommodate a brace or wrap on the injured foot or ankle.Particularly in the event that a wearer has properly fitting shoes tobegin with, the addition of extra layers on the foot and ankle may causea poor fit. In some cases, athletes may simply have a preference for atighter fit during a game, competition, or race than they desire fornon-competition activities like warm-ups. All these reasons and moreevidence a need to provide an article of footwear that allows a wearerto adjust the length to suit their needs.

Past attempts to address this need have been met with limited success.Mechanisms such as pumps and lacing/strapping systems have been employedin the past to provide some level of adjustability. These mechanismseach have shortcomings. Some of these shortcomings can be in one or moreof: durability, ease of adjustment, comfort, stability, and range ofadjustment. In the case of an athletic shoe, shortcomings in one or moreof these areas may result in the wearer suffering a loss of performance,reduced comfort, or a shortened lifespan of the shoe.

What is needed, therefore, is an article of footwear that allows thewearer to adjust a dimension of the shoe, such as the internal length,without modifying the length of the sole. The article should provide forsimple and reliable adjustment, while preserving the comfort anddurability of the article. It is to such an article of footwear thatembodiments of the present invention are primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an article of footwearhaving an adjustable heel portion, and more specifically an athleticshoe having an internal length that is able to be expanded or contractedwithout modifying the length of the sole.

In some embodiments, the article of footwear can allow a wearer toselectively alter the position of a portion of the heel portion of thearticle of footwear. In some embodiments, the article of footwear canhave a sole, an upper attached to the sole and defining a void for afoot of a wearer, and a heel adjustment mechanism. The heel adjustmentmechanism may include a heel adjustment housing capable of moving withrespect to the sole to modify the volume of the void created for thefoot of a wearer.

The heel adjustment mechanism can include one or more adjustment strapsthat are attached to one or more adjustment supports at anchor points.The one or more adjustment straps can be received by the heel adjustmenthousing through one or more openings. The heel adjustment housing mayinclude a heel adjustment actuator in order to change the amount oflength of the adjustment straps that is received by the housing. Thischange may be responsible for adjusting the position of the heeladjustment housing with respect to the sole. In some embodiments, a heeladjustment slider may be coupled to the heel adjustment housing, and maybe provided with track-like openings to slidably receive the adjustmentsupports.

The heel adjustment actuator may take the form of an adjustment knob. Insome embodiments, the adjustment knob may be coupled to a pinionconfigured to engage teeth located on the adjustment straps. Rotatingthe pinion can result in the adjustment straps being pulled into orpushed out of the heel adjustment housing. In some embodiments, thearticle of footwear may be an athletic shoe, and may have the heeladjustment mechanism located on the heel and have substantially mirroredinstep and outstep portions including adjustment supports, adjustmentanchors, and adjustment straps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an embodiment of an article of footwearhaving an adjustable heel portion, in accordance with some embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the article of footwear having anadjustable heel portion of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A depicts a schematic view of the adjustable heel mechanism of theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, in a loosened position.

FIG. 3B depicts a schematic view of the adjustable heel mechanism of theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, in a tightened position.

FIG. 4A depicts a side view of an article of footwear having anadjustable heel portion, in a loosened position.

FIG. 4B depicts a side view of an article of footwear having anadjustable heel portion, in a tightened position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an article of footwearhaving an adjustable heel portion, and more specifically an athleticshoe having an internal length that is able to be expanded or contractedwithout modifying the length of the sole. In some embodiments, theadjustment may be made by rotating a dial located on the rear or side ofthe article. The article of footwear can have a sole, midsole/liner, anupper, and a movable heel portion. In some embodiments, the movable heelportion may be a housing that is capable of moving fore and aft inresponse to manipulation of a dial or other adjustment mechanism. Thematerials, dimensions, weight, and shape, among other factors, can bemanipulated to achieve the characteristics desired for a particularapplication.

To simplify and clarify explanation, articles and methods are describedbelow, generally, as an article of footwear having a heel adjustmentmechanism and a method of using same. One skilled in the art willrecognize, however, that the invention is not so limited. The materialsdescribed hereinafter as making up the various elements of the presentinvention are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Manysuitable materials that would perform the same or a similar function asthe materials described herein are intended to be embraced within thescope of the invention. Such other materials not described herein caninclude, but are not limited to, materials that are developed after thetime of the development of the invention. The methods described hereinare also intended to be illustrative and not restrictive, as the scopeof the invention covers several suitable methods of adjustment.

As described above, a problem with conventional articles of footwear isthat they are not sufficiently adjustable to suit a wearers needs. Thislack of adjustment can result in a poor fitment that can limit awearer's athletic performance and increase injury risk. What is neededis an article of footwear having an adjustable fit, without sacrificingdurability, comfort, or stability.

Some embodiments according to the present disclosure include anadjustment dial that moves a band by engaging teeth on the band or on acooperating component. Expanding or contracting the band can push orpull a heel adjustment housing forward towards the toe, or aft away fromthe toe. Because the heel portion is capable of moving independentlyfrom the sole, the internal length of the void created to receive awearer's foot can be altered. By modifying the internal length of thisvoid, as opposed to the overall length, the sole can remain unaltered.This may be beneficial for maintaining the stability and durability ofthe article.

In some embodiments, an adjustment dial can be located on the heeladjustment housing itself. This arrangement may allow the shoe to beeasily adjusted both before and while on the wearer's foot. Such anarrangement may allow the mechanism to avoid coming into contact withforeign objects or obstacles during use. Other suitable locations forthe adjustment dial may include on a side of the shoe. Such anarrangement may allow the wearer to reach the adjustment dial moreeasily while the shoe is worn.

In some applications, the heel adjustment mechanism may be integral tothe shoe upper. In such embodiments, adjustment straps may contract orexpand around the heel portion of the upper. As the adjustment strapscontract, the compression on the heel portion of the upper can cause theinternal length of the void to be reduced, tightening the article aroundthe foot of a wearer.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, shoe 100 is formed with sole 110 andupper 120 connected to sole 110 to define a void for the foot of awearer. In order to provide shoe 100 with heel position adjustment, eachside of shoe 100 is provided with an adjustment strap 130 connected toan adjustment support 140 at adjustment anchor 150. For explanatorypurposes, the sides of shoe 100 will be referred to as the instep andoutstep. Adjustment strap 130 enters heel adjustment housing 160, and isloosened and tightened by the rotation of adjustment knob 170.

In some embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure,adjustment anchor 150 may be integrally formed with adjustment support140. Similarly, adjustment strap 130 may be integrally formed withadjustment support 140. In some embodiments, one or more of theadjustment straps 130 may be removable such that they can be replacedwith a strap having different characteristics such as a differentlength, elasticity, or material.

In order to allow heel adjustment housing 160 to move freely withrespect to the adjustment supports 140, heel adjustment housing 160 canbe connected to heel adjustment slider 180. Heel adjustment slider 180is provided with track-like openings to slidably receive adjustmentsupports 140. As heel adjustment housing 160 is moved toward adjustmentanchors 150, more of the length of adjustment supports 140 can move intoheel adjustment slider 180.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate how heel adjustment mechanism 300 loosens andtightens the fit of shoe 100. Adjustment straps 130 include teeth 310,and adjustment knob 170 is connected to pinion 320. Pinion 320 tightensadjustment straps 130 by engaging teeth 310 and rotating in a firstdirection (counterclockwise in FIGS. 3A and 3B). This rotation drawsmore of the length of adjustment straps 130 into heel adjustment housing160. As a result, adjustment housing 160 is moved closer to adjustmentanchors 150.

Rotating pinion 320 in the opposite direction (clockwise in FIGS. 3A and3B) loosens adjustment straps 130. Loosening adjustment strap 130 isaccomplished by pushing a greater portion of adjustment strap 130 out ofheel adjustment housing 160 as pinion 320 turns. This increases thedistance between adjustment housing 160 and adjustment anchors 150,thereby increasing the length of the void defined by the sole 110 andupper 120. Other similar mechanisms may be employed to tighten andloosen the heel adjustment mechanism, as may be known in the art.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate shoe 100 in loosened (4A) and tightened (4B)states. In FIG. 4A, adjustment housing 160 is in a loosened statefurther from adjustment anchors 150 than in FIG. 4B. In this state,adjustment housing 160 deforms upper 120 very slightly if at all. Thisallows the void created by upper 120 and sole 110 to be as long aspossible.

As FIG. 4B shows, adjustment housing 160 deforms upper 120 such that thevoid created by upper 120 and sole 110 is shorter than it was in theloosened state depicted in 4A. This ability to selectively modify adimension of the void created to receive a wearer's foot can allow for avariety of sizes or fits to be achieved with a single shoe.

In practice, the shoe can be adjusted before the wearer puts them on.Alternatively, or in addition to that adjustment, the wearer may alsomake adjustments to the heel adjustment mechanism while the shoes arebeing worn. Preferably, tension in the adjustment straps alone will notcause the adjustment knob to rotate. This allows the size of the shoe toremain locked in unless and until the wearer elects to rotate theadjustment knob. While the heel adjustment actuator has been discussedas a knob, it may also be a dial, thumbwheel, ratchet, slider, or othersuitable adjustment mechanism known in the art, provided the mechanismis suitable for the application and is capable of adjusting theadjustment straps by modifying how much of their length is received bythe adjustment housing.

While several possible embodiments are disclosed above, embodiments ofthe present invention are not so limited. For instance, while severalpossible configurations have been disclosed (e.g., an adjustment knob,slotted adjustment device, or the like), other suitable materials andconfigurations could be selected without departing from the spirit ofembodiments of the invention. In addition, the location andconfiguration used for various features of embodiments of the presentinvention can be varied according to a particular application, such as aparticular sporting application, shoe design, or user preference. Suchchanges are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention.

The specific configurations, choice of materials, and the size and shapeof various elements can be varied according to particular designspecifications or constraints requiring a device, system, or methodconstructed according to the principles of the invention. Such changesare intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention. Thepresently disclosed embodiments, therefore, are considered in allrespects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of theinvention is indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoingdescription, and all changes that come within the meaning and range ofequivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.

1. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole; an upper attached to thesole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer; a heel adjustmentmechanism capable of modifying the volume of the void, the heeladjustment mechanism comprising: a heel adjustment housing having one ormore openings and being capable of moving with respect to the sole; oneor more adjustment straps, wherein the one or more adjustment strapseach has a portion of its length received inside the one or moreopenings in the heel adjustment housing; a heel adjustment actuatorconnected to the heel adjustment housing; and wherein movement of theheel adjustment actuator changes the amount of the length of the one ormore adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housingas well as the position of the heel adjustment housing with respect tothe sole.
 2. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising: oneor more adjustment supports being connected to one or more of the soleand the upper; one or more adjustment anchors located on the one or moreadjustment supports; and wherein the one or more adjustment straps areconnected to the one or more adjustment anchors at an end opposite theportion of its length received inside the one or more openings in theheel adjustment housing.
 3. The article of footwear of claim 2, furthercomprising a heel adjustment slider coupled to the heel adjustmenthousing, the heel adjustment slider provided with track-like openings toslidably receive the one or more adjustment supports.
 4. The article offootwear of claim 3, wherein the one or more adjustment straps comprisesa first adjustment strap located on an outstep side of the article and asecond adjustment strap located on an instep side of the article.
 5. Thearticle of footwear of claim 4, wherein the one or more adjustmentsupports comprises a first adjustment support located on an outstep sideof the article and a second adjustment support located on an instep sideof the article.
 6. The article of footwear of claim 1, furthercomprising: a pinion coupled to the heel adjustment actuator; whereinthe one or more adjustment straps each include teeth; and wherein thepinion is configured to engage the teeth located on the one or moreadjustment straps in order to change the amount of the length of the oneor more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustmenthousing.
 7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the heeladjustment actuator comprises an adjustment knob, wherein rotating theadjustment knob causes the pinion to rotate.
 8. The article of footwearof claim 7, wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a first directioncauses the pinion to engage the teeth located on the one or moreadjustment straps in order to increase the amount of the length of theone or more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustmenthousing, and wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a second directioncauses the pinion to engage the teeth located on the one or moreadjustment straps in order to decrease the amount of the length of theone or more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustmenthousing.
 9. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole; an upperattached to the sole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer; firstand second adjustment supports being connected to one or more of thesole and the upper; first and second adjustment anchors located on thefirst and second adjustment supports, respectively; a heel adjustmentmechanism capable of modifying the volume of the void, the heeladjustment mechanism comprising: a heel adjustment housing having firstand second openings and being capable of moving with respect to thesole; first and second adjustment straps, wherein the first adjustmentstrap has a portion of its length received inside the first opening inthe heel adjustment housing, and wherein the second adjustment strap hasa portion of its length received inside the second opening in the heeladjustment housing; a heel adjustment actuator connected to the heeladjustment housing; wherein movement of the heel adjustment actuatorchanges the amount of the length of the first and second adjustmentstraps that is received by the heel adjustment housing as well as theposition of the heel adjustment housing with respect to the sole; andwherein the first and second adjustment straps are each connected to thefirst and second adjustment anchors at an end opposite the portion ofits length received inside the first and second openings in the heeladjustment housing.
 10. The article of footwear of claim 9, furthercomprising a heel adjustment slider coupled to the heel adjustmenthousing, the heel adjustment slider provided with track-like openings toslidably receive the first and second adjustment supports.
 11. Thearticle of footwear of claim 10, wherein the first and second adjustmentstraps comprises a first adjustment strap located on an outstep side ofthe article and a second adjustment strap located on an instep side ofthe article.
 12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the firstand second adjustment supports comprises a first adjustment supportlocated on an outstep side of the article and a second adjustmentsupport located on an instep side of the article.
 13. The article offootwear of claim 9, further comprising: a pinion coupled to the heeladjustment actuator; wherein the first and second adjustment straps eachinclude teeth; and wherein the pinion is configured to engage the teethlocated on the first and second adjustment straps in order to change theamount of the length of the first and second adjustment straps that isreceived by the heel adjustment housing.
 14. The article of footwear ofclaim 13, wherein the heel adjustment actuator comprises an adjustmentknob, wherein rotating the adjustment knob causes the pinion to rotate.15. The article of footwear of claim 14, wherein rotating the adjustmentknob in a first direction causes the pinion to engage the teeth locatedon the first and second adjustment straps in order to increase theamount of the length of the first and second adjustment straps that isreceived by the heel adjustment housing, and wherein rotating theadjustment knob in a second direction causes the pinion to engage theteeth located on the first and second adjustment straps in order todecrease the amount of the length of the first and second adjustmentstraps that is received by the heel adjustment housing.
 16. An athleticshoe, comprising: a sole; an upper attached to the sole and defining avoid for a foot of a wearer; an instep adjustment support beingconnected to one or more of the sole and the upper, and comprising aninstep adjustment anchor; an outstep adjustment support being connectedto one or more of the sole and the upper, and comprising an outstepadjustment anchor; a heel adjustment mechanism capable of modifying thevolume of the void, the heel adjustment mechanism comprising: a heeladjustment housing having an instep-side opening and an outstep-sideopening and being capable of moving with respect to the sole; a heeladjustment slider coupled to the heel adjustment housing, the heeladjustment slider provided with track-like openings to slidably receivethe instep and outstep adjustment supports an instep adjustment strapconnected to the instep adjustment anchor at a first end, and comprisingteeth on a second end opposite the first end; an outstep adjustmentstrap connected to the outstep adjustment anchor at a first end, andcomprising teeth on a second end opposite the first end; an adjustmentknob connected to the heel adjustment housing; a pinion coupled to theadjustment knob, wherein the pinion is configured to engage the teethlocated on the instep and outstep adjustment straps in order to changethe amount of the length of the instep and outstep adjustment strapsthat is received by the heel adjustment housing.
 17. The athletic shoeof claim 16, wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a first directioncauses an increase the amount of the length of the instep and outstepadjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing, andwherein rotating the adjustment knob in a second direction opposite thefirst direction causes a decrease the amount of the length of the instepand outstep adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustmenthousing.